Inspirational Career Quotes to Motivate You Through 2017

Wise words found in these inspirational career quotes will leave you ready to take on the new year.

It's a new year and, if you're like most people, you're determined to make a new and better you. That means more than a diet or a new budget. It's time to refocus your energy on your career. You may be looking for that perfect job, trying to make the most of your current job, or building a business all on your own.

This time of year it's easy to get excited and feel amped up and ready to take on the world, but that feeling can be difficult to sustain. So what do you do? You look to the men and women who inspire us to keep pushing forward and listen to their words.

Here is a collection of inspirational career quotes to fire you up and dare you to push your career forward in 2017.

Job hunting motivation.

The grind of looking for a new job can be exhausting. Don't let it get you down and don't lose focus. These words of wisdom will help you reach for the stars while staying motivated to press on in that search for the perfect job.

“Find out what you like doing best, and get someone to pay you for it.” – Katharine Whithorn

“The future depends on what you do today.” – Mahatma Gandhi

“Opportunities don't happen, you create them.” – Chris Grosser

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle.” – Steve Jobs

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” – Confucius

Motivation to end procrastination.

It's the easiest trap to fall into when you're looking at your goals. You've set your calendar and you know what you need to do, but do you need to do it today? Yes! Those items are not going to check themselves off of your list and the longer you wait, the longer you'll have to wait to reach your goals. Listen to the wisdom of these people and take it to heart. Check out these procrastination-related inspirational career quotes:

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney

“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Wishing is not enough; we must do.” – Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

“We generate fears while we sit. We overcome them by action.” – Dr. Henry Link

“You're not supposed to do this perfectly. You don't do life perfectly. No one does.” – Michelle Obama

“If you want to make an easy job seem mighty hard, just keep putting off doing it.” – Olin Miller

“Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.” – Stephen King

“Great acts are made up of small deeds.” – Lao Tzu

Motivation for a little risk taking.

If you're looking to shake things up in 2017 and move your career forward, it may seem scary. You can't get big results without taking a risk. By definition, that means that it could go wrong. So, if you want to play it safe, that's okay. Just realize that you won't be making any progress. If you're ready to make a splash and make something happen, let these new year motivational quotes rev your engine and boost your courage.

“People who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” – Rob Siltanen

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” – C.S. Lewis

"The way to develop self-confidence is to do the thing you fear and get a record of successful experiences behind you." – William Jennings Bryan

"Successful people have fear, successful people have doubts, and successful people have worries. They just don't let these feelings stop them." – T. Harv Eker

“You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.” – Wayne Gretzky

“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” – Albert Einstein

Motivation for personal growth.

Sometimes the best way to grow your career is to work on yourself. Is 2017 the year that you decide to learn new skills or change your way of thinking? Changing yourself is a lot harder than sprucing up your wardrobe or reorganizing your workspace. That means it can be easy to get discouraged. Don't lose faith. Keep your eye on the prize with these quotes that will inspire you to be the best you that you can be.

“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Happiness is not something readymade. It comes from your own actions.” – Dalai Lama

“Whatever you are, be a good one.” – Abraham Lincoln

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” – Viktor E. Frankl

“From my point of view, which is that of a storyteller, I see your life as something artful, waiting, just waiting and ready for you to make it art.” – Toni Morrison

“Continuous learning is the minimum requirement for success in any field.” – Dennis Waitley

Entrepreneurship motivation.

Have you been dreaming of being your own boss? Do you currently own and operate your own business but think you're ready to take it to the next level? Entrepreneurs are the people who dare to dream big and go for it. But, sometimes those big dreams can seem a little daunting. Fear not. These inspirational career quotes will give you the courage and motivation to keep your entrepreneurial spirit alive and well.

“Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs.” – Farrah Gray

“The question isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me.” – Ayn Rand

“It's not about ideas. It's about making ideas happen.” – Scott Belsky, co-founder of Behance.

“In every success story, you will find someone who has made a courageous decision.” – Peter F. Drucker

“My best advice to entrepreneurs is this: Forget about making mistakes, just do it.” – Ajaero Tony Martins

“Ambition is the steam that drives men forward on the road to success. Only the engine under full steam can make the grade.” – Maxi Foreman

Don't be afraid to make bold decisions and set big goals for 2017. Success is built upon big dreams. As Norman Vincent Peale said, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.”

If you do get sidetracked or discouraged, don't fret. Just keep this list of remarkably motivational quotes bookmarked and you'll have just the pep talk you need, whenever you need it. Now, go make 2017 your best year ever!